Ironing-machine.



W. A. ZEIDLER.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION rmm SEPT.10, 190a.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Mum/m W. A. ZEIDLER.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED snn. 10, mos.

Patented Feb. 10, 191i WITNESSES @Aroef 60., WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. A. ZEIDLER.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 10, 1908.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' M 477 mm COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

W. A. ZEIDLER. IRONING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 10, 190B.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

/ INVENTOI? Z; M 477 WILLIAM A. ZEIDLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IRONING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

Application filed September 10, 1908. Serial No. 452,346.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, i/VILLIAM A. ZEIDLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l'roning-dachines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates more particularly to a laundry machine adapted to iron or finish the edges of collars and cuffs, etc, leaving said edges uniform, perfectly smooth and without bur.

The specific objects and advantages of my improvements will appear more fully from an understanding of the annexed specification and drawings.

In the drawings which show only one of the forms which my improvements may take Figure l is a vertical section partly in elevation taken lengthwise through a machine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said machine; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Fig. 4C is a view looking up at the bottom of the machine from below; and F ig. 5 is an enlarged central vertical section and Fig. 5 is an edge view of one of the edging wheels. Fig.5 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 77 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a partial end view taken from the right end of Fig. 3, showing the latch to hold the lever 24 in depressed position. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing a certain lever end and a sleeve arranged to be controlled thereby the same being also shown in Fig. 3.

Describing now my improvements with particular reference to the devices of the drawings and reserving it to the claims to point out the novel features, I will first preface the detail description of the parts with a general statement as follows: The collar or cuff is led into the left-hand end of the machine through a trough-like guide 1. It is then gripped by rotating feed rolls 2 and 2 and carried by them to the light between the sides of the guides 3; here the top and bottom edges of the collar or cuff come into contact with special. wheels or disks 4: and 5. These wheels have a contacting periphery consisting of a series of short connected broken lines, in other words, have a polysided periphery (see Fig. 5), as distinguished from a smoothly circular periphery. The effect is that as these wheels rotate at comparatively high speed in contact with the edges of the collar or cuff, while the latter is being fed slowly forward by the feed rolls, said edges are struck a rapid succession of slight blows which compact all roughnesses and irregularities and produce a uniform finished edge, perfectly smooth and comfortable to the neck. The upper edging wheel et is mounted on a vertically movable carriage 6, which permits it to ride up and down in conformity with the varying height of the articles fed under it. Similarly the lower edging wheel 5 is yield ingly supported'to bear against the lower edge of the article through an opening 7 in the machine bed. The forward end of the collar or cuff having passed beyond the edging wheels passes between a pair of rotating rolls, one of which 8 preferably is of large diameter and is of friction material such as rubber, and the other of which 9, is preferably a smaller polished metal roll.

The friction roll 8 is mounted to swing about the metal roll between the positions shown respectively by the dotted and full lines in Fig. 2. The full line position is one intended especially for collars to give them a curl by coaction with the following devices. In the first place, a swinging deflector 10 is pivoted to swing laterally across the machine bed between the positions shown by the dotted and full lines in Fig 2. When in the positions shown by the full lines the forward end of the collar or other article strikes the deflector and is directed toward the front of the machine between the friction and metal rolls, which thereupon deliver the collar into the interior of the curved guide 11, which gives it the desired curl or twist. If, however, no curl is desired, as for example with cuffs, the deflector 10 is swung into the position shown by the dotted lines, as is also the friction roll 8, whereupon the article is fed forward in a straight line and out from the right hand end of the machine. This brief description sums up in a general way the features of the machine and it now remains to point out in detail their construction, interrelation and operating mechanism. Thus the machine shown has a bed or base plate 14: which may comprise a single casting having legs which raise the bed above the table or other support. The bed plate'has an opening 7, in the nature of a longitudinal slot through which the lower edging ator in feeding cuffs when the machine is to provide for the referred to swinging of the support for the friction roll 8.

rectly over the edging wheel opening 7 in j the bed are a pair of longitudmal guides 3.

At the left-hand end of these guides in the particular machine shown are the feed rolls 2 and 2. whereas at their right-hand end adjusted for collars.

To adjust the machine for collars a lever 2st is provided, fulcrumed at 25 to the frame. having its forward end or toe 24 received under a secondary sliding sleeve 1b on the rod 17 provided with a rubber ring l8 between the sleeve 18 and the carriage 6. The

are the friction and metal rolls 8 and 9. I Leading to the feed rolls is the trough-hke been depressed to lift the carriage 6 into its guide 1 which removably connects with the machine by screws 16 for convenience in;

packing and shipping. guides 3 are a pair of vertical rods 17 and 17 projecting from the bed. which rods serve as guides for the carriage 6, which carries the upper edging wheel 4. This carriage comprises what in general terms amounts to a sleeve 18 slidable on the rod 17, said sleeve having a forked extension 19 which receives slidably within it the other rod 17. The sleeve 13 further carries a horizontal bearing 20 for a spindle 21 which at its front end carries the edging wheel 4 and at its rear end carries a pulley 22 adapted to be belted to power as hereinafter described. The carriage further has a pair of longitudinally extending, depending guides 23 joined together near their top edges and located over the bed guides 3 and which at their right or delivery end 23 preferably extend under and closely conform to the periphery of the edging wheel, thereby steadying the article, against lateral deflection in passing under said wheel. For the same reason the bed guides 3 are curved at 3 to conform with the periphery of the lower edging wheel.

The receiving end 23 of the guides 23 is comparatively high and an abutment 2 C is interposed between and secured to the guides. This abutment slopes downwardly toward the delivery end 23 of said guides and terminates adjacent to the edging wheel at. A collar, therefore, in its passage under the abutment 23, elevates the uides, and with them, the carriage 6, so that the upper edging wheel 4 rides along the edge of the collar, against which it is yieldingly held by the weight of the carriage.

A guard is provided at the receiving end of the guides 23 to bar the passage of a cuff or other article which is too high to be received under the guides 23. when the carriage is in its lowermost position of adjustment, which is that intended for collars. This guard comprises a right-angle member 27 on the carriage 6, an arm of which extends across the entrance to the feed rolls 2 and 2 at a height which will permit collars to pass under it, but not cuifs when the carriage 6 is in its lowermost position. An automatic safe-guard is therefore provided against mistake by the oper- At one side of the lever has a handle 24* adapted to be locked down by a pivotally supported latch 26 on the machine, when said handle has upper position of adjustment, which is that intended for cuffs. Thus, culfs can now be received into the guides without striking the guard 27. A spring 90 is provided (see Figs. 2 and 3) which normally tends to elevate the handle 24" and to take its weight and lifting tendency oif the carriage 6.

The deflector comprises a deflecting plate 10 supported at the free end of an arm or bracket 28 which pivots across the bed on a vertical stud 29 and is adapted to be fixed in either of the positions shown in dotted and full lines in Fig. 2 by a vertically sliding pin 30 through the arm or bracket. the lower end of which is adapted to be received in openings 31 at said positions in the bed or in parts therein.

The operating means comprises a main sh aft 32 journaled under the bed across from front to back of the machine. This shaft at its rear end has a loose pulley 33 and a tight pulley 34, the latter having a pair of annular grooves 35, in which run the belts which connect with the pulleys that drive the two edging wheels. Thus, the upper edging wheel 4 is driven by the belt 36, which runs from one of the tight pulley grooves about a pulley 37 ournaled on an extension 38 from the carriage supporting rods 17 and 17, thence completely around the pulley which is on the same shaft as the edging wheel itself, and thence about a guiding pulley 39 supported from the machine frame back to the tight pulley groove. The re sult of this manner of belting is that the pulley 22 on the same shaft with the edging wheel is driven irrespective of the position of vertical adjustment to which it may be carried by the carriage 6. It will be noted that the three pulleys 37, 22 and 39 are pref erably located in substantially a straight line, one over the other, for the best operation. The other tight pulley groove is connected by a crossed belt 40 with pulley 41 on the rear end of a shaft 42, which extends under the bed and across it from front to rear and which turns in bearings 43 which are pivotally supported from the underside of the bed on an up and down swinging frame at. This is the same shaft on which the lower edging wheel 5 is carried in more or less central position to project up through the opening in the bed. To hold said shaft and edging wheel pressed vieldingly in upward direction is a lever 15 centrally fulcrumed below the machine bed, naving one end extending under the swinging frame 44 in which the lower edging wheel shaft is journaled and having its other end 45" provided with a weight 46 more or less adjustable along said lever, which weight may have a rod 47 extending vertically therefrom to contact with the underside of the bed to prevent the lower edging wheel from being depressed below a certain more or less flush position with the top of the bed. From the foregoing it is believed to be now clear how the upper and lower edging wheels are both belt driven from the tight pulley and that is so, irrespective of their vertical adjustment or movement in conformity with the edges of the article passed over.

The means for driving the feed rolls 2 and 2 and the other pair of rolls 8--9 com prises a worm -18 on the main shaft 32 mesh ing with a worm wheel 49 on a depending stud 50 (Fig. 4) from the underside of the bed, which worm wheel carries a gear 51 in mesh with an idle gear 52 also turning on a depending stud 53, which idle gear in turn meshes with a gear 54L on the vertical spindle 55 which extends up through a bearing in the bed and carries above the bed the front feed roll 2* (Fig. 2). Thus the tight pulley through the described worm and gears directly drives the front feed roll. he rear feed roll 2* is supported on a vertical spindle 56 (Fig. 1) which extends down through a slot or enlarged opening in the bed through a vertical bearing 57 supported on a laterally swinging arm 58 under the bed. A spring 59 (Fig. 4) connects said arm with a stationary part of the bed or frame to normally carry the rear feed roll toward or against the front roll and further to enmesh a gear 60 on the lower end of the spindle of the rear feed roll with the gear 54 on the spindle of the front feed roll. Thus it is the normal. condition of the feed rolls 2 and 2* to be in yielding contact with each other with their respective gears in mesh, whereby both are driven in opposite directions from the tight pulley to feed articles forward between them into the machine.

Should for any reason it be desired to throw the gears 54 and 60 of the feed rolls out of mesh. and to provide a permanent space or passage between them for the entrance or withdrawal of articles, mechanism is provided comprising an arm 61 (Figs. 1 and M, centrally fulcrumed under the bed with one end. 61 extending along the front side of the movable hearing 57 of the rear roll 2 and with its other end 61 connected by a link 62 with an operating handle 63, itself pivoted under the bed and having its handle end 63 extending out through a slot 64: in the end of the machine, said slot having a locking recess 64" which when occupied by the handle, holds the rear feed roll permanently away from the front feed roll.

Describing now the operating mechanism for the other pair of rolls, in the first place, the metal roll 9 turns with a vertical spindle 65 which extends through a bearing 66 on the underside of the bed, said spindle having a pinion 67 in mesh with the idle gear 52 and by which therefore the metal roll is driven from the tight pulley. Swinging about the aforesaid bearing 66 as an axis is a plate 68 under the bed, carrying a vertical journal 69, in which the spindle 70 of the friction roll 8 has its bearing, said spindle below having a gear 71 in mesh with the pinion 67 of the metal roll. It being remembered that the spindle 7 0 of the friction roll is located in a curved slot or opening 15 in the bed and that it, along with the friction roll is adapted to be swung in a circular are about the axis of the metal roll between the positions shown in dotted and full lines in Fig. 2, it will. be noted that this is accomplished by the aforesaid plate 68, which can be swung about the bearing 66 as an axis to carry with it the friction roll, and further it will be noted that the gear 71 belonging to said friction roll will at all times remain in mesh with the pinion 67 of the metal roll. To effectthis swinging of the plate 68 a lever 72 is provided connected with the plate and having its free end extending out from the front of the machine over a supporting,

adjusted for collars and the other when they are adjusted for cuffs or otherwise are adj usted for straight delivery.

Means is provided to permit spreading apart of the metal and friction rolls to con form to the thickness of the articles fed be tween them comprising features as follows. The opening 75 in the swinging plates 68 which supports the friction roll and through which the spindle of the metal roll passes is not exactly circular, but is somewhat clongated to permit the friction roll to be moved to and away from the metal roll upon pressure being exerted between them. However. the rolls a renormally held yicldingly in contact by a spring 7 6, said spring being located between a shoe 77 and a depending lug 76 from the free end of the swinging plate 68'. Thus the lug has a screw 79 extending therethrough upon the end of which is secured a head 80 located, inside one end of the spiral spring 76. The shoe 77 comprises a portion 77 adapted to contact with and slide around the bearing 66 and also has a portion 77 located and supported within the other end of the spring 76. Obviously, the effect is to press the lug 78 on the swinging plate away from the bearing 66 and thereby normally to carry and hold the friction roll 8 yieldingly in contact with or in the direction of the metal roll 9.

It has been already explained that the lever 72 for swinging the friction roll 8 is connected for this purpose with the plate 68. The specific way in which this is accomplished comprises an opening through the end of the lever through which passes the 5 spindle of the metal roll 9 and further comprises a feather 91 on the lever received in a slot in lug 78 of the plate 68. The groove and feather connection between the lever and the plate allows for the endwise play of said plate relative to the bearing 66. It may be noted that the edging wheels 4 and 5 are preferably made of hardened tool steel. Further that their belt connections are preferably such that they are both rotated against the direction of feed of the articles between them. Supports 92 are provided at either side of the article as it passes through between the edging wheels to prevent the articles from buckling under the weight of the carriage, said supports in the particular form shown consisting of plates bent to have a V-shaped cross-section and screw-connected at their base to the machine bed. The contact periphery of the upper edging wheel at is below the bottom of the inclined top'portion of the guide 2, whereby the edging wheel surely contacts with the edge of the article throughout its entire length without possibility of being held off the edge by said portion of the guide.

I will next describe the improved oiling devices indicated in Fig. 1 in connection with friction roll 8, but used, although not indicated, in connection with all the other rolls. These devices include oil caps on top of the various rolls, each comprising a stem 92 having a central horizontally extending flange 93. The lower end of the stem is received in a corresponding axial opening 9t through the spindle of each roll. said open ing below communicating by a duct 95 with the interior of the bearing in which the spindle rotates. By simply lifting off the oil caps. the axial holes in the spindles can be filled with oil which will be delivered as needed through the ducts to the bearings. Replacing the caps prevents the ingress of dust. The arrangement is convenient and permits oiling of the machine without possibility of soiling the rolls, such as often happens in attempting to oil these hearings at the bed plate. Finally it may be noted that an auxiliary edging wheel 96 is shown in Figs. 2 and a on the front end of the shaft 42 upon which it will be remembered is also mounted the lower edging wheel The purpose of said auxiliary edging wheel is to provide at a convenient place a wheel having the same polysided contact periphery as the main edging wheels to finish the edges of the articles which the operator may desire to hold by hand against the wheel. In addition to the other guides previously described as directing and supporting the article on its way toward and between the edging wheels 4 and 5, mention should be made of the guides 97 (Fig. 1) mounted on pivoted frame 44 of the lower edging wheel and projecting upwardly side-by side in spaced relation through the opening 7 in the machine bed to receive between them the lower portion of the article on its travel from the feed rolls 2* and 2 toward the edging wheels ft and 5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an edge finishing machine, the combination of an edging wheel; a vertically guided carriage rotatably supporting said wheel and adapted to be upheld by said wheel resting on the edge of an article fed under it: means adapted to feed such article in edge contact with the edging wheel; pulleys located one over the other, the upper and lower pulleys being rotatably mounted on the machine frame, and the in termediate pulley being connected with the edging wheel; and a power belt connection to said pulleys comprising a belt passed over the upper and lower pulleys and completely around the intermediate pulley.

2. In an edge finishing machine the combination of an edging wheel; a movable car riage rotatably supporting said edging wheel; pulleys conveniently termed upper. lower. and intermediate pulleys. the intermediate pulley being connected with the edging wheel and the upper and lower pul leys being rotatably mounted on the frame; and a power belt connection to said pulleys comprising a belt passed over the upper and lower pulleys and completely around the intermediate pulley, said pulleys being located relative to one another to have the belt stretches which lead to and from the intermediate pulley extending in line with the axis of movement of the carriage.

3. In an edge finishing machine, the combination of a vertically movable carriage, an edging wheel on said carriage, said wheel being adapted to be rotated with its periphery in contact with the edge of an article and supporting the carriage, rolls adapted to feed the article to the edging wheel, and a guard on the carriage extending across the path of the articles to the edging wheel of a height adapted to receive under it certain articles and to bar the entrance of others.

4. In an edge finishing machine, the combination of a vertically movable carriage; an edging wheel on said carriage adapted to be rotated in contact with the edge of an article fed under it; a guide on said carriage having a top portion inclining downwardly toward the bottom of the edging wheel; and a lever fulcrumed to the frame having its toe adapted to be raised under the carriage to lift it into an upper position of adjustment, said lever being adapted to be locked stationary when so supporting the carriage.

5. In an edge finishing machine, the combination of a vertically movable carriage, a guide rod on which said carriage moves; an edging wheel on the carriage rotatable in contact with the edge of an article; a sleeve slidable on the guide rod beneath the carriage; a buffer between said sleeve and carriage; and a lever fulcrumed to the frame and having its toe adapted to be raised under the sleeve to lift it, the buffer and the carriage into an upper position of adjustment, said lever being adapted to be locked to uphold the parts in said position.

6. In an edge finishing machine, the combination of a lower edging wheel projecting up through an opening in the machine bed, said wheel having a poly-sided contacting periphery; a frame rotatably supporting said wheel and itself pivotally supported underneath the machine bed; a lever fulcrurned under the machine bed having its toe extending under said frame and having its other end provided with a weight; and said weight having a stop-extension adapted to contact with the machine bed to limit the depression of the toe of the lever and of the edging wheel supporting frame.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. ZEIDLER.

Witnesses:

FRED. G. SCHMIDT, EDWARD W. S'LROHM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

